Properties

Properties are similar to variables. They are bundled in features and can be added to objects through templates. articy:draft provides the following basic property types:
Depending on their type, properties offer different configurable parameters.

All properties share the following parameters:
  • Display name - Name inside articy:draft
  • Technical name - Name in the XML export or when using the articy:draft API
  • Tooltip text - This text is displayed as tooltip text
  • Placeholder text - This text is displayed as placeholder text
  • Is mandatory? - Is this property mandatory?
  • Add to XML-export? - Shall this property be exported to XML?

Constraints & Defaults

Besides the parameters listed above many properties offer parameters for constraints and defaults. For example you can constrain a text property to a certain amount of characters or you can define min. and max. values for a number property. For reference properties you can even define, which object types or templates are allowed in a reference slot or reference strip.
If those constraints are violated when entering a value for that property, articy:draft will display an appropriate warning like this:



Constraint violations are also visible in the Conflict Search.
Furthermore it's possible to specify a default value, which is automatically set as long as it's not manually replaced.

Property Definitions


If you want to use a specific parameter set for a property more than once, you should create a property definition. Property definitions are always based on basic property types, but come with pre-defined parameters. If you created a certain list of values for a drop-down list, for example, you can save it as property definition to reuse that property in multiple features.

Create Property Definitions

Property definitions can be created in two ways:
  • Create a property in the feature editor and save it as property definition afterwards. That can be done either via right-click on the property 1 or by dragging the defined property from the layout-area to the drop-area in the lower left of the feature editor 2.
  • Navigate to the "Property Definitions"-folder and choose a basic property type on which the property definition shall be based. Now create a new property definition via the toolbar-button or via the right-click context menu.



Use a Property Definition

In the feature editor property definitions are listed below the basic property types 3. Just like the basic types they are added to a feature via drag & drop.



Edit a Property Definition

Property definitions can be edited in the same way as features or templates: Select a property definition in the navigator 4 and click on "Edit" in the upper right corner 5. As long as parameters are not overridden, all changes on a property definition have impact on the properties based on it.